You could be “whaley” lucky in Suffolk this autumn

Wildlife enthusiasts will be flocking to the Suffolk coast in their droves in order to catch a glimpse of the majestic humpback whale this autumn.

Scientists have said how it has been an exceptional year for sightings of the giant mammal, and believe it will last through until middle to late November.

There is usually a great deal of uncertainty surrounding wildlife watching, but recent trends suggest the chance of spotting a humpback whale off the coast of Norfolk or Suffolk in the next month is a distinct possibility.

The past two years have been fruitful for wildlife lovers, with record numbers of humpback whales having been spotted off the Suffolk and Norfolk coasts. Humpback whales are uncommon in British waters, but are increasingly being encountered in parts of the UK.

Every year, many humpback whales undertake the long migration from winter breeding grounds off the coast of Africa and feeding grounds in the north-east Atlantic close to Iceland. The species was extremely rare in British waters due a long history of hunting to near extinction.

It is not only humpback whales that will be visible, but also porpoise and occasionally minke whales, pilot whales and white-beaked dolphins, amongst others. Using photographs from sightings, scientists from Sea Watch Foundation will attempt to see if the animals have been recorded before, by attempting to make their distinctive tail patterns with their records. The information helps to keep track of the creatures, looking at their habits, range and life span.